Archive for May 6th, 2009

this was just about the end of the series!!! So close to #100 but just didn’t make it. Thedrawing projects were big up to the end and #97 called for a fun mobile mining rig and nifty little moon base. The base was almost a direct reuse of a mars scape done For John carpenter’s Ghost of Mars. The illustration was to grand for john’s film and it was great to be able to pass the lines on to this episode, this ship was one of the heavily credited to Ron Cobb pieces and it was a very intense drawing that I really got my pen work into. I don’t remember who modeled this one so Hopefully I can find out and get some grabs to go along with this one.

Well the night finally came and My wife and I went to the cast and crew screening of Star Trek. The room grew dark the curtains were pulled and a quick video of JJ appeared on the screen,,, Most of his message was in silence do to a sound problem but once audible he thanked and welcomed everyone for working on the show and hoped everyone would have a good time. To hear my feelings about this incredible night we have to open the discussion up correctly. This movie has been wanted and anticipated by the fans for many years. It’s very conception has been surrounded by hate, speculation, harsh critiques, bashing on levels, fear, and it has also been followed with excitement and hope. Star trek is such a huge part of everyones lives just based on fact of how long it’s been around and what it’s impacts have been on so many people from around the world. Trek has such a huge fan base and from the sad comments from so many the feelings towards the franchise were mostly of disappointment with the production of each new outing starting in the late 90’s to just a few years ago. Trek was slowly dyeing from within from the last couple of series and feature films,,, It was breaking it’s own rules and the strong driving force of the stories and the constants followed were widdling away with a dull mediocre downward spiral and all the fans were dropping away, all the fictitious histories and time lines were being compromised and it got to the point that the producers themselves couldn’t even keep the deck counts right for their series major flagship. 2005 brought the end to Star trek as we knew it… The new CBS and Paramount quickly saw what the fans wanted and from their point of view $$$$$ what was needed to get the studio back on a good footing. With JJ Abrams success and energetic driving force behind his own movie projects and shows. Paramount or whoever made the call did the right thing by approaching him to revitalize this legendary series. This was a long movie in the making and an incredibly large set of shoes had to be filled. After seeing the film last night I can see how JJ thoughtfully jumped into those shoes with full force….. If you take the “to boldly go” monolog from the Original , this is exactly what JJ and his writers did with awesome class and reverence. You could not start Star Trek today with a Voyager or Enterprise feature film,,,You could not do another TNG and move into yet a farthur future with this Human Adventure,,, You had to start at the beginning and make it a new beginning,, Just this challenge alone is a great under taking especially with everyone watching your every move. JJ’s writers, crew, his own creativity and the bringing on of Leonard Nimoy created a brilliant cornerstone to embark on this new adventure. faced with redesigning something that has deep roots in a whole new way, yet be respectful to the original idea was definitely what was seen on the big screen last night. I can see now why the rule was created that no one from the previous shows were invited back to be a part of this one,,, I am still amazed and very thankful that that rule was broken in my case and I was allowed to be a part of this film. without giving a full fledged review here is what is coming…. This movie is all about attitude,,, your going to walk out of the theater with exatly what you take into it. If you are expecting to hate it going in that’s what your going to leave with,, If you follow Gene’s idea of to boldly go,,, YOU WILL NOT LEAVE DISAPPOINTED… JJ has a vision that he so elegantly has translated on the screen.. The opening (before the credits) plays perfectly as an emotional visual opera. His use of sound, silence, and performance sets the pace as one of the best opening sequences I have ever seen. ILM’s Jeff Olsen and John Goodson (ST Veterans, have really blown our socks off) along with Digital Domain, & accompanied by Ben Burt’s Brilliant sound, have gone into a new realm of Visual Effects. The Starships have a gritty look that is seamless in their perfect execution. Space in the new film has no left and right plain restrictions and you never now which way is up. The model work,,, can’t even be called that because visually the starships have such a look and weight that they are not a VFX image but a REAL full sized spacecraft. My hat is off to the incredible achievements these folks have put on film. Ryan Church’s Enterprise, Kelvin & Jellyfish are masterfully perfect, All three ships are brilliantly poetic on screen and they cuts thru space with an incredible elegance, James Cline’s Romulan vessel is jaw droppingly gorgeous in a very evil kind of way. Alex Jeager From ST first Contact was back creating the background armada and his designs score big once again… This is going to be a kit bashers paradise!!! Anyways the credits role and the movie begins… Awesome casting and great character performances rule here and the actors have added a very energetic youthfulness to each of their given roles. The story is strong and defines the time changing issues elegantly as they set the way for a new future as only a Star Trek film could. The movie is graced with a very rich score by Michael Giacchino, and the production design and art direction By Scott Chambliss , Curt Beech, and Keith Cunningham, is gorgeous. I walked out of the theater overwhellmed with what I saw and can’t wait to see it again.. There is a lot to take in and you really can’t prepare for where this adventure is going to take you. It is vastly different on every level and it has JJ’s great storytelling talents and action pacing down pat. So to put it bluntly,,,I LOVED IT!!!! To all the gang behind this one and Especially JJ. A big thanks and a tip of the hat to you.